Our ‘Profile: A Day in the Life of’ feature takes a look at some of the global professionals working across performance marketing. It aims to shed light on the varying roles and companies across the flourishing industry. This week we head to London to speak to the managing director at Performics UK.
Name:
Jon King
Job title and company:
MD, Performics UK (part of the ZenithOptimedia Group).
In one sentence, how would you describe what the company does?
Performics is a leading performance marketing agency that uses data to drive performance and optimise investment across paid, earned and owned digital channels.
What are the company’s unique selling points?
Performics works within and alongside ZenithOptimedia, part of the Publicis Groupe, the world’s third largest communications group and top search spender. We have great strategic vision and deep understanding of multi-market challenges, and we collaborate with over 220 brands globally, including industry leaders such as Staples, Toyota and Nestle. Our position within ZenithOptimedia gives us deeper insight into the media planning process and access to additional planning tools that help us to drive the best performance possible.
Within the last six months/year, what stands out as the company’s major milestones?
There are a number of key initiatives that fall under the live ROI umbrella; an ‘owned first’ approach to communications planning which challenges clients to think differently about the way they prioritise and allocate resources, ‘The UX factor’, which highlights the importance of data across all the touchpoints on a customer journey and the technology that can tie that together, and the increasing importance of analytics in terms of measuring the overall effectiveness of our work. In terms of other milestones in the last year, we’re proud to have added new clients such as John Frieda and NEXT to our growing portfolio.
Duration in current role:
I became MD of Performics UK in September this year.
Where are you based?
London, UK
Previous performance marketing-related companies you have worked at:
My experience encompasses digital, creative and media. Prior to taking on the MD role at Performics, I was MD of WPP’s full service digital agency POSSIBLE where I worked with clients that included Orange, Visa and Peroni Nastro Azzurro. Before this I worked client side as Head of Marketing and Creative at Virgin Media Television, where I was responsible for brand strategy, marketing, strategic partnerships and creative output across the Virgin channel portfolio. My early career was spent in advertising, working at BMP DDB and Lowe.
What are your main job responsibilities?
My main role is strategic leadership for Performics UK, with overall responsibility for the development of performance-marketing programmes for the agency’s key clients, but I also work closely with ZenithOptimedia’s leaders to define our performance proposition and Performics’ digital media partners to drive technological innovation through the organisation.
Take us through what you get up to on a typical working Monday:
Monday is normally spent planning for key meetings later in the week, checking in with clients on key projects or to resolve issues, making sure we’re on track with any upcoming pitches and seeing how the leadership team are getting on. Monday evenings are a good slot to interview prospective candidates before the week gets too hectic.
What top three websites can you be found browsing during your lunch hour?
Last month it was all about Movember, posting bad moustache photos in an attempt to raise money. Apart from that most of the websites I browse are work related, either belonging to a client or one of their competitive set, or trying to keep up with industry developments. If you ever need a lift during the day I recommend Time Out #wordonthestreet or one of the many ‘damnyouautocorrect’ sites, good antidotes to stressful meetings!
What are your top three tips for someone looking to get their hands on a job like yours?
Learn as much as you can across the broadest subject matter, understand how finance drives business for agency and client alike and be nice to people as you’ll always end up working with someone you’ve met before.
Career-wise, where do you see yourself in three years’ time?
I’d like to be where I am now, I don’t envisage my role being that different but I expect the subject matter will have moved on dramatically (programmatic, mobile, social etc).
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
I’m a flamboyant and enthusiastic dancer – roll on the Christmas party!